“Cowboys” depicts the reality of struggling actors but in a very lighthearted and funny way. The movie opens with two actors on stage auditioning for a part. Once their performance is done, the unimpressed casting director asks them to leave. Avi’s character (Mr. Quirky) begins to leave but the other actor (Tanner) stays and implores the CD for another chance, pleading that he is ready to take any available role, no matter what. In an emotional moment Tanner proclaims, “I just wanna act, please!” Mr. Quirky hears this exchange from behind the curtain and instantly jump out decrying “Me Too”, which becomes a call-back catch phrase throughout the film for him. Persuaded into giving the actors a second chance, the casting team begins fastballing directions to the pair. When requested to represent passing gas, Tanner replies, ‘Isn’t that usually added in after effects?’ while Mr. Quirky begins giving it his all. In a ridiculous competition the two begin acting out the idea. The following inane directions include: nipple twisting, a dance-off to different songs, and others. As a final humiliation, both Tanner and Mr. Quirky are cast in the show as cows. The movie ends implying that the hunger actors have for work causes them to take every role which comes to them during the struggling period of their career. It’s an idea literally exemplified by Avi’s Mr. Quirky.
Agarwal reveals that the physical approach was something that was a benefit for him in this role both in on and off camera. Working with (non-English speaking) director Tenten Wei on the set reinforced the idea that what would translate universally in this role was the physicality of it. He communicates, “Tenten likes to see what our first choice as actors was. On this film, I was given a lot of freedom with regards to the choices made during the dance sequence in particular. Mr. Quirky is such a physical role that I showed up prepared with a few comic dance moves to suggest. Tenten picked the ones she liked and allowed for a lot of improv of our lines if we felt in the moment that it supported the story. She was great about knowing when to put a stop to the freedom being given to the actors and even physically showing us what she is expecting from the character to get the results she was looking for. Even in the scene which we had to fart, she showed me the different ways to try during the rehearsal and then she picked the one which got her attention the most. Like myself, she was not worried about how she appeared but rather only focused on the proper result for the film.”
While the film is not the most cerebral of all comedic productions, it captured the attention of audiences and industry alike. As an actor, Avi received the Best Actor Bronze Award at the LA Shorts Awards and Honorable Mention/Supporting Actor from the Top Shorts Film Festival. His performance is physically based but also communicates a very clear desperation. Viewers feel the sense that Mr. Quirky had submitted for hundreds of auditions but this is likely the first time he has been called in. His zeal and desperation is palpable. It also communicates the environment in which struggling actors are taken advantage of by certain callous people who have control over them. There is bit of an underlying social commentary in the film.
Avi embraced the opportunity to focus on an almost entirely physical comedy role for this film. As research, he chose to study Hollywood greats such as Charlie Chaplain (in Modern Times, 1936) and Buster Keaton (Steamboat Bill Jr. 1928). Avi learned how they used their bodies and told stories in a humorous way with virtually no words at all and then incorporated this approach to Mr. Quirky using his dancing abilities to perform the actions on screen. He relates, “My character in the film totally required a physical comedy with hardly any words. I can do it because I dance different styles like Salsa, Charleston, Break, and Bollywood. I also play Basketball, soccer and Table Tennis, and boxing. You really need to be aware of your body and how it moves for this kind of comedy; my physical activities in real life really help me in building this body language. I am a confident person so I don't really mind looking stupid or care about what I look like when acting. Once I take on a character I give 100 percent. My confidence comes from past experiences in my life and really helps me achieve the physical and facial expressiveness that I need. The facial expressions can be tricky. I do facial exercises every morning to make sure that when I’m on set and giving a larger than life performance, it looks natural.”
The confidence Avi has in his own abilities and performance comes from preparedness. In addition to giving an aura of ease to himself, this has the beneficial side effect of transferring to many of the professionals he works with. This gentle assuredness permeates throughout the set and becomes infectious. Tenten Wei, the mastermind behind “Cowboys” states, “Avi is so talented and creative. When you work with him you feel that he is the best and it makes you feel that you are best at the same time. He’s such an amazingly talented actor. I think he has the potential to become recognized as one of the great comedic actors of our time.”